birthdays vs christmas

Growing up, Christmas was hands down my favorite holiday. It still is.

Even though, my birthday was all about me, and I managed to spread this into my 'birthday week' - it doesn't hold a candle to Christmas.

Christmas was absolutely magical as a kid. All the songs, Santa!, caroling at Church, the Christmas Eve service which always ends with Silent Night by candle light (a highlight as a child and no doubt a fire hazard!), opening one present on Christmas Eve, candy canes, Christmas M&Ms, Santa!, decorating the Christmas tree as a family, egg nog, Santa!, giving gifts, the nativity, and my personal favorite holiday entertainment: Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Charlie Brown Christmas and Frosty the Snowman.

I may have mentioned Santa on a few occasions, that's because he came to our house every year before Christmas to talk to us about if we were good or not and what we wanted for Christmas. Santa was perfect, he was the real deal. Ice blue eyes, a rosy nose, white hair, and a real leather strap with sleigh bells on it - that he carried with him. It was surreal to get to touch the bells and hear them as he would come up the driveway. (the reindeer rest before Christmas, so he drives to visit people before Christmas, in case you were wondering).

Needless to say, I want Christmas to be as magical for Niamh as it was for me. Again, the bar is set very high.

I've been trying to amp up Christmas this year as this year, for the first time, Niamh actually gets it. I've taken numerous opportunities this month to talk about how Santa is coming, that she needs to be a good girl for Santa to bring her some gifts, that we are going to England and it is going to be a white Christmas this year, which is very special as we've never had snow at Christmas before, etc.

My in-laws house right now!

I also talked about how we would be at her Grandma and Grandpa's house (Nai Nai and Ye Ye as she calls them in Chinese), and how it would be her little cousin, baby Tom's first birthday too. We would celebrate that on his birthday, which is Dec 31.

Weeks of build-up to Christmas rushed out the door in single fleeting moment.

"It's baby Tom's birthday?" she asked eagerly.

"Happy birthday baby Tom! Happy birthday baby Tom! Happy biiiiiiiiiiiiiiirthday, babyyyyyy Tooooooooom. Happy birthday baby Tom!!!!" she shouted at the top of her lungs as she danced around the living room.

"Yes," I explained, tentatively. "First, its going to be Christmas!" I squealed with excitement I hoped was infectious. "Then, almost a week later, its going to be baby Tom's birthday. So first we will celebrate Christmas, and then we will celebrate baby Tom's first birthday," I said, in an effort to bring Christmas back into the equation.

"Happy birf-day, baby Tom!" she said, completely elated, with her hands clasped together and her eyes wide with excitement.

Ever since then, when I talk about Christmas, I'm quickly reminded about baby Tom's birthday.

Let me be clear, I adore baby Tom. He's my sister-in-laws son, and he is absolutely perfect. He's pretty much the cutest baby that ever lived. If you don't believe me, just check him out in his reindeer costume. I double-dog dare you not to think he's the most precious thing!

I was only hoping that we could be super excited about Christmas first, and then, spend the next week being super excited about baby Tom's birthday.

Niamh absolutely loves birthdays. She sporadically sang happy birthday to me (since Sept) until finding out about baby Tom's upcoming birthday.

To get her psyched about Christmas, I've even considered shifting the Christmas story to focus on "baby Jesus' birthday". Then, its a birthday celebration, right?



Start watching around the 1 minute mark, for 'baby Jesus' being his 'favorite Jesus

This filled my head with images of Niamh running around the house singing happy birthday baby Jesus at the top of her lungs, which would probably set my husband over the edge. Almost worth it. Almost...

But, I've decided she doesn't have to be as obsessed with Christmas as I am. It's ok for her to love birthdays more.

Either way, its going to be a great holiday... Besides, this just means Santa will bring ME more presents!

Happy holidays! xoxo